Essence Awards honor members of GHS Community

Glastonbury High School presented its fall Essence Awards on Dec. 3, and inducted several new members of the school community.

"The Essence Awards offer us an opportunity to recognize students and staff members, as well as community members and adults who have made significant contributions to our school community, and whose lives…exemplify the very best of what we all hope to be," said GHS Assistant Principal Tom Neagle, chair of the Essence Award committee.

The Essence Awards are sponsored and funded by the student council. Student Council President Matt Del Mastro said the impact the Essence Award recipients have on the school community is remarkable.

"I consider myself extremely fortunate to be surrounded by so many classmates, educators and staff as brilliant and compassionate as those we honor today," Del Mastro said.

The entire "Be the Key" club was honored with an award. Seniors Audrey Aponovich and Charlotte Hine, Audrey's mother and Mrs. Kristin Bourbeau accepted the award on behalf of the entire organization.

Nominator Mary Brandt-White said the four ladies spearheaded the organization which began after the fatal crash that tool the life of GHS student Jane Modlesky in the summer of 2013. The group was formed last spring, with the mission of informing teens about the dangers of teen driving. This fall, the organization took part in the Celebrate My Drive campaign, and earned the school a $100,000 grant to further promote safe driving.

Aponovitch said volunteers sometimes spent 30 hours a week working on the campaigns, and dealt with many challenges, but were able to be successful due to hard work and determination.

"Glastonbury came together in an amazing and caring way to honor Jane and support GHS," she said. "All of us from the contest committee are honored to accept this remembrance of the journey we shared to bring the message of the importance of safe teen driving to the school and the community."

"It feels so good to have accomplished so much, but I also know that this is where the real work begins," Hine said, adding that she hopes the messages about teen driving are received by Glastonbury for years to come.

GHS junior Sydney Reich, who is the vice-president of the drama club and also raises money for local charities, received an Essence award. She has also spent time mentoring another student who has learning and cognitive differences.

"To know Sydney is to love her," said teacher Lauren Taylor, Speech/Language pathologist and Adaptive Technology specialist. "When you know Sydney, you don't see her differences, you only see her stellarness. She is an amazing young girl and an amazing young person."

"It's an honor being up here," Reich said. "Without all of my support, I would not be who I am."

Foreign language paraprofessional Lynne-LeRoy Fink was nominated by her department.

"To our department, she is priceless," said Meghan Zingle, head teacher of the foreign language department. "She has become more than just the lady in the language lab. She helps us as teachers. She had done professional development to make sure she is up to date with the technology, and keeps a few steps ahead of us."

Zingle said LeRoy-Fink has also made her lab a "safe haven" for students and teachers.

LeRoy-Fink said she began at GHS as a cashier in the cafeteria for nine years, before she started working in the language lab, where she has been for the past 18 years. She said she enjoys her job.

"Because my co-workers are wonderful to work with, because they accept me for who I am, I look forward to each and every day," she said.

Virginia Schluntz, secretary for the GHS Agriscience department, was also an Essence Award recipient.

"Mrs. Schluntz has been an ideal example of grace and grit for the students of the Glastonbury Agriscience program," said student Justin Pednault, reading from the nomination letter composed by several students and staff members. "Beginning over 20 years ago, she has been a constant figure in this unique program."

Schluntz will be retiring at the end of this school year.

"She is one of the most deserving people for the Essence award that I have been lucky enough to meet," Pednault said. "She shouldn't leave this school without a token of our appreciation."

Social studies teacher Laura Maud was nominated by teachers Jenna Bach and Nina Skarvelas. Maud coaches junior varsity field hockey and girls' lacrosse, and is an advisor of the school's Gay-Straight Alliance.

"She has just the most phenomenal character," Bach said. "She cares about her students so much, and she strives every day to really make this school a better community in so many ways."

Bach said coaching is not just about teaching on-the-field skills, but also about teaching respect, teamwork, responsibility, perseverance, integrity, and fairness, and that Maud exemplifies that.

"I've seen all these things in how she works with her team, the other coaches and the players," Bach said. "Everything she does is so incredibly valuable."

Maud said she was honored to receive the award, but had to also recognize her colleagues. "They have provided guidance, support, humor, and most of all, friendship, on a daily basis," she said. "Little do my colleagues know that they are really the ones who motivate me. I have amazing role models. This award is really a reflection upon them."